CLOTHES

Camo

Camo is king for many hunters. Companies use everything from laser printing to computer graphics based on an animal’s eyesight to come up with plenty of colors and patterns from which to choose. From the timbered slopes to open grassland, there’s most certainly a camo pattern out there for you.

Raingear/Outer shell

This is the first line of defense between you and the elements. Don’t pinch pennies here; it pays to stay dry. Gore-tex laminates will keep snow and rain out while still allowing most perspiration to escape.

Underwear

Elk hunting is dynamic. You’re working up a sweat one minute, and the next you’re hunkered down and trying not to shiver. Look for underwear that wicks moisture away from your body. Merino wool keeps you warm when damp and doesn’t smell terrible after a few days of bath-free hunting.

Base Wear

You know to hunt into the wind, but what happens when the wind turns snow and rain horizontal, causing you to feel its bite in your bones? Any good base layer in elk country need wind protection. Gore’s Windstopper fabric has proven itself over the years to be some of the best wind protection out there.

Insulation

In a word: down. Down-insulated vests and jackets are incredibly warm, and they compress to the size of a softball, making them great to stuff in a pack’s side-pocket. Don’t let them get wet though, or they lose their insulating properties.

Hat

Outerwear

Gloves

Glove liners

Balaclava

Boots

Keeping Your Digits
Next to your weapon, the shoes on your feet are your most important piece of gear in elk country. Click here to read the Gear 101 on how to keep your feet warm and your boots in good shape.

Socks

An elk hunters feet aren’t pretty, but they’re downright heinous if they aren’t cared for. And one of the best ways to care for them is to have a good pair of socks.

Sock liners

Liners are designed to be a second-skin between your actual skin and friction. They are your best defense against blisters.

Gaiters

Gaiters are a lot like sunscreen—you really wish you had put it only after it’s too late. Keep the snow out of your boots and your feet dry before post-holing in snow with these.

Blaze orange vest

FOOD & WATER

Water bottle

Water purifier

Nutrition bars

Boiled down to the basics, there are three things that keep us going on an elk hunt: food, water and the desire to fill a tag. If you’re reading this, you have the desire. But what about the fuel needed to get you to the next ridge? Are you carrying the best rations to light your internal fire? The answer might surprise you.

Trail mix

Jerky or summer sausage

Performance Supplements

Elk train all year to avoid you. A little extra something in your tank never hurt.

MEAT CARE

Para cord

Game bags or old pillowcases

To keep your meat free of flies, dirt and hair, you need bags that allow your meat to breath and cool down.

Processing knives

A couple of high-quality knives goes a long way into making a big job seem easier. Don’t forget the sharpener!

Sharpening Tools

Use a dull knife over a sharp one and you’re not only going to tire out faster, but you’re more likely to cut yourself—and in elk country, you’re typically a long way from the ER.

Grinder

You put the sweat and work into the hunt and know the value of using every bit of meat. A small-but-powerful meat grinder can go a long way toward helping you fill the freezer.

Vacuum Sealer + Bags

Storage is a critical, but sometimes overlooked, aspect of the hunt. Vacuum sealing your meat helps keep it fresh for longer, locking out air and freezer burn.

Jerky Gun

Nothing beats the simplicity and uniformity of a jerky gun, especially when you’re creating big batches of jerky.

Packaging Supplies

When setting up a meat-packing assembly line with friends and family, takes the hassle out of wrapping with a freezer paper kit.

HUNTING GEAR

Rifle

Sling Some Lead
Hunters have been known to forget this item on occasion, but not you, of course. Be sure to double-check the caliber before heading afield. Click here to learn a few key field positions.

Rifle Scope

Properly sighted, your scope will help bring the bullet home. Just take care not to drop the rifle and knock the scope off-kilter.

Ammo

It’s going to be an awfully short hunt if you leave your shells at home.

Be it at the range or in the field, a solid rest can be a shooter’s best friend.

GPS/Map/Phone/Compass

eHunting for eLk
Getting lost is never a whole lot of fun. Click on the Gear 101 link to learn how to stay the course in elk country.

Hunting Knives

A couple of high-quality knives goes a long way into making a big job seem easier.

Saw

While not a necessity, a saw can make cutting through an elk easier. Plus that tree across the road isn’t going to move itself.

Hatchet/Axe

Kindling. Ribs. Camp pests. You can always find a good use for a hatchet around elk camp.

Wind checker

Range finder

Guessing yardage to various landmarks around your set-up is great, but how will you know for sure?

Binos

The Glassing Game
Binoculars are great if you know how to use them. Click here to learn how to effectively glass elk country.

Calls

Seems like everyone and their uncle has a some sort of call, but do they know how to use it without chasing the herd into next week? Click here to join elk-caller extraordinaire Ralph Ramos as he shows you how to entice bulls with an age-old whitetail trick.

Regs

License/Tags

Bear spray

Studies have shown that bear spray is infinitely more effective at stopping a charging bear than a firearm. Plus, it weighs next to nothing. Why not carry it? Click here for a Bear Spray Demonstration

Survival kit

With everything from emergency food to a toothbrush, your kit can mean the difference between life and morning breath. Click here for more info.

Headlamp or Flashlight
(with extra bulb and batteries)

Ever try to quarter and elk in the pitch-black? If you value your thumbs, don’t do it. Bring a headlamp or flashlight.

Toilet paper

Orange flagging

Duct Tape

Field Wipes

Hand sanitizer

Small roll of duct tape

Daypack

You want a pack nimble enough so you can weave through the trees with ease, but you also need one big enough to carry raingear, snack, and butchering gear.

Toothpaste/brush

Signal Safety Light’

OVERNIGHT GEAR

Shelter/Tents

A tarp, a bivy, a tent. Take your pick. There are trade-offs for each one, but pick which one matches your hunting style.